Two senior recruiters leave Heidrick & Struggles

Jobson, who has been on maternity leave, is understood to have decided before Christmas that she would not be coming back. Ellis said he finalised his departure this week. The company declined to comment.

Ellis and Jobson joined Heidrick in 2001 when the firm acquired SHP Associates, a recruitment company they partly owned which focused on middle market positions in the financial services, commerce and technology sectors.

By leaving so soon, it is possible that Ellis and Jobson may have foregone some of the money due to them from the acquisition. Neither was available for comment on the subject.

Ellis said he was considering his options for reemployment elsewhere.

A number of other former SHP Associates staff have also left Heidrick in the 18 months since it bought the firm.

Like other global recruitment firms Heidrick has a substantially lower headcount than two years ago, as a result of the poor recruitment climate.